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“Free Kate” Facebook Group ….

It is fair to say that Kate’s family was not prepared for the overwhelming response to this movement. We are having to regroup a bit, and part of that is making sure this page is only supportive of Kate’s cause.

Please, old and new members, read the FAQ below and help us spread accurate information and weed out lies and trolls.

“FREE KATE” FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is Kate, and why does she need to be freed?

Kate is a high school senior living in Indian River County, FL. Until halfway through the school year, she was a student at Indian River High School, where she had been a cheerleader, a Varsity basketball player, and a medical trainee preparing for a career serving others in the nursing field. Kate was a productive and popular member of her school community and was voted as the student with “most school spirit.”

Kate’s girlfriend was a freshman student enrolled in International Baccalaureate courses with upper-classmen and a fellow player on the Varsity basketball team with Kate. While Kate was 3+ years older than her girlfriend, they were peers in the exact same social circle.

When Kate’s girlfriend’s parents learned of their relationship, they went directly to the police to press charges without sharing their objections with Kate or her family. The police recorded a conversation between Kate and her girlfriend, which led to Kate’s arrest. Kate was arrested and interrogated extensively without a lawyer present.

Kate’s father was a former police officer, so she trusted the police and didn’t feel she had anything to hide. Unfortunately, the police took advantage of her trust in order to get her to make incriminating statements.

Kate was eventually charged with two counts of felony lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12-16. The prosecutor later offered a plea deal of felony child abuse, with two years house arrest followed by one year probation.

Today, the girls are 18 and 15. We will not discuss the specifics of their relationship or when contact took place between them for their legal protection. Kate’s girlfriend has taken no part in her prosecution and denies she is a victim, but the law grants her no rights in this matter.

Kate has offered to permanently cease contact and leave the state if charges are dropped, but that offer has been rejected by the prosecutor and the girlfriend’s parents.

2. Do we think Kate deserves special treatment because she’s a girl in a same sex relationship?

Absolutely not! It is our national shame that states continue to prosecute relationships between consenting students at the same high school. We generally support age-of-consent laws, but we believe it is ludicrous that a 23-year-old can date a 16-year-old, but two students in the same school and on the same basketball team cannot be in a relationship because of arbitrary age limits. The law needs to change, not only to protect Kate, but to protect the millions of teenagers, boys and girls, straight and gay, whose lives are regularly ruined because parents disapprove of their children’s sexual choices.

We want justice for all 18-year-old high school seniors who have undergone criminal prosecution for exercising poor judgement in their dating life. Such students are not predators. They’re just kids.

Likewise, we believe the law should not be arbitrarily enforced based on a parent’s anger. Parents should be empowered to protect their children, but not at the price of destroying another young person’s life forever.

The point of this group is to offer Kate support and to offer Kate’s supporters a place to share and receive accurate information. This is not a forum to debate your views on same-sex relationships or age-of-consent laws.

We believe in free speech, but you have your own Facebook wall for that. Anyone expressing negative views of Kate or our cause will be removed permanently from the group.

Likewise, we ask our supporters to keep a sharp look out for trolls and other negative content. Please do not argue with trolls. Simply tag their posts for an admin and ignore them. Responding to troll posts only bumps them up. If you see any pornographic or other inappropriate imagery, please report it immediately to Facebook and an admin.

4. Should we go after the other family?

NO! Please refrain from posting any personal information about the other people involved in this case. Doing so will only hurt Kate and her cause.

Likewise, we do not want to cause Kate’s former girlfriend any pain or suffering over the actions of her parents. Let’s keep this positive and go through the proper channels. No witch hunts, please.

About Dr. Rex

I'm originally from Puerto Rico. I was born in Santurce and raised in Rio Piedras. Have lived in Florida since 1999.
I have a doctorate degree in Medicine; completed in 1976. My Internal Medicine specialty was completed in 1979. Worked for Puerto Rico's health system until 1985.
At this time, I'm happily retired after working for the federal government for almost 28yrs.
I want to offer any knowledge that I have to anyone "out there" who is interested. My views are liberal in almost every sense. My knowledge is "eclectic" - a bit of everything. Music and reading are my passion. Blogging has also become a very interesting endeavor. Metaphysical topics attract me. I'm interested in news reporting human issues like injustice, discrimination and abuse - the "wrongly" affected.
My intention is to bring this knowledge to an understandable level and to help anyone in need. I'm open to questions and will answer them to the best of my ability.
Currently working on an enterprise whose main mission will be to bring peoples of all walks of life together. To be one .... since we ALL are ONE!!
The future looks bright and promising!!!

This case is a perfect example of a flawed law. Don’t you think that this is happening all over the high school scene? Rather than make this a black/white thing, there is a major “gray” area. This is why the law should be reviewed and updated. How many others are affected, not taking gender into account. This could be a groundbreaking case that will even out the situation for other teens. Having the “brand” of sex offender is something that will affect the individual for the rest of his/her life.

she should be treated just like anyone ealse ..theres alot of this age doing this an there getting 2 years 2 years probation an reg. sex offender alone with other sts, she;s not only one an an innocient as it is the law is the law an cant change for just one unless there going to go back an change for others , its sad be its not any different for her then anyone ealse …..

Dr. Rex,
Last year, we went through this very same heartbreaking experience with my son when he was a senior in HS. Earlier that fall, he had a brief fling with a 15 yr old girl and out of retaliation, because he didn’t call back soon enough, she got mad and eventually told her mother. In Feb, there was a controlled phone call and then he was brought in for questioning; being scared and naive he told the truth. He was immediately thrown in jail and eventually we bailed him out so he could finish HS. Unfortunately, he was expelled and forced to finish at an alternative school. We spent a lot of money getting a lawyer and all he could do was negotiate a plea deal which was 5 yrs prison, no probation. He took it because the lawyer said the judge could give him the max if he denied it. He is a good kid, played varsity baseball and wanted to join the Marines, a goal he had since 5 yrs old. We were shattered and outraged, too, at this draconian law. I wrote my state legislators, the governor, state attorney, and my sister wrote the President. We join the fight for Kate’s cause, for my son, and for all other teens that have fallen victim to this law that should not apply to them.

Dear. Michelle,
This is the very same reason why I support this case. The law needs to be reviewed. These cases aren’t black or white. There’s plenty of gray!
I strongly windshield & hope that this will be the case to lead to review. I’m so sorry about what happened to your son; simply shouldn’t have!
Kate isn’t a sex offender, neither was your son.
And there has to be a huge number of people in similar situations. I don’t believe the same sex controversy is the issues.
I do wish you and yours well!

I’m not straight either at least they’re is some one to stick up for us who are different but one thing shouldn’t change the world, I mean we should get the same rights and stop being judged and in Kate’s case people should just leave her alone my parent are 7 years apart, big whoop, 3 years is nothing compared to 7. Yes, I know its against the law but it shouldn’t, 3 years really!?!
Kate, if you read this one great because I have some thing to say…. I live in Iowa not Florida, I would love to help some how but i’m only 13, you seem smart, your beautiful, and in sports that will get you really far for collage so good luck. But until then know I got your back if you ever need some to talk to i’m hear idk you and you don’t know me but I totally support you please if you ever have a chance email me or talk to me on this website. PLEASE!!!